Unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) have proliferated recently because they can perform a variety of valuable tasks without incurring the costs and risks associated with a piloted aircraft. Typical UAV tasks include surveillance and communication tasks. However, one drawback with many existing UAVs is that they have limited endurance and can accordingly remain on-station for only a limited period of time. As a result, it can be difficult to provide the foregoing tasks consistently for an extended period of time.
One approach to addressing the foregoing endurance issues is to provide solar power to a UAV, potentially enabling the UAV to remain on-station for extended periods of time because it generates the power it requires while in flight. However, such systems tend to be heavy and/or expensive, both of which factors make it difficult to provide surveillance, communications, and/or other services at a competitive price. Accordingly, there remain unmet needs for providing long endurance, unmanned air vehicle services at competitive rates.